Braintree Town 3 Havant & Waterlooville 4
There was a dramatic end to this entertaining game at Cressing Road as the visitors snatched two goals in added on stoppage time to secure a win, so leaving Braintree Town boss Brad Quinton fuming with his players.
The Iron looked all set for their first league win of the season when leading 3-2 going into the final minutes of normal time. But again they paid the penalty for sloppy play by giving the ball away too easily, combined with some abject defending, which allowed the points to slip away.
With 94 minutes on the clock, the visitors’ Nicke Kabamba headed home unmarked for the equalise at 3-3. And then in the 96th minute, substitute Alfie Cosgrove was also left unmarked to head home the winner to complete the Hawks’ comeback.
Promising changes to his playing personnel, Quinton said: “I am bitterly disappointed to concede so late on. Their two added time goals could easily have been avoided and I simply cannot accept that. Overall, though, I think we were still poor despite coming back and taking the lead. We really we have no game management out there. That showed with how those two late goals were conceded.
“We’ve got defenders too who want to play the ball out at the back, and today we got caught again. We have other players who simply switched off at crucial times – giving the ball away and conceding needless free-kicks. You can’t afford that at this level.”
Quinton added: “There will certainly be some changes this coming week because we need to improve straight away. We will have new faces in the squad – I can‘t accept a repeat of this late, late show.”
The Iron had the worst possible start, conceding a goal within the first minute when full-back Rory Williams galloped down the left unhindered to fire the ball past home keeper Ben Killip.
The Iron equalised in the 31st minute through Reece Grant’s header, and took the lead on 38 minutes via Mohammed Bettamer’s terrific free-kick.
Jordan Rose headed home an equaliser for the visitors on the stroke of half-time for 2-2, only for the Iron to regain their lead when Grant intercepted a back-pass and lobbed keeper Ryan Young. But there was to be a sting in the tail.
BRAINTREE: Killip, Muleba (sub Pattisson 46), Durojaiye, Hill, Clark, Della Verde (sub Ochieng, 69), Allen, Bettache, Lyons-Foster, Bettamer, Grant (Frimpong 92). Att: 407
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